Bill > HB43

This bill, the Local Newspapers for Maryland Communities Act of 2026, aims to ensure that state government advertising funds are directed towards local news organizations. It defines a "local news organization" as an entity that creates original content about matters of public interest, has at least one full-time employee dedicated to covering Maryland events who lives in or near the state, and meets specific publication and audience requirements for either print or digital formats. These organizations must also disclose their beneficial owners or board of directors and, if a non-profit, have local or state news coverage as part of their stated mission. However, entities receiving over half their income from political organizations or certain other non-profit groups are excluded. The bill also clarifies that it does not apply to advertising intended for audiences outside of Maryland for tourism promotion or employee recruitment. Crucially, it mandates that state agencies structure their procurement processes to achieve a goal where 50% of the total dollar value of their print or digital advertising contracts are awarded directly to these local news organizations, with the changes taking effect on October 1, 2026.

Government Affairs

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0043?ys=2026RS